Gas turbine engines (GTEs) produce power by extracting energy from a flow of hot gas produced by combustion of fuel in a stream of compressed air. In general, GTEs have an upstream air compressor coupled to a downstream turbine with a combustion chamber (combustor) in between. Energy is produced when a mixture of compressed air and fuel is burned in the combustor, and the resulting hot gases are used to spin blades of a turbine. In typical GTEs, a main rotary shaft extends along an engine axis and couples rotational movement of various components of the GTE about the engine axis.
In order to assist the rotary shaft to spin, a GTE may include a plurality bearings aligned along the shaft. The plurality of bearings may allow relative motion between two or more parts. For example, each of the bearings may aid in rotational movement between the shaft and one or more components of the GTE, such as a compressor rotor and a turbine rotor, and stationary components of the GTE.
Bearings located within GTEs often undergo extreme temperature gradients which may cause thermal expansion of at least a portion of the bearing itself, the component within the GTE adjacent to the bearing, or both. U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,673 to Condon, Jr. et al. (the '673 patent) discloses a bearing cup for placement within a wall of a housing. According to the '673 patent, the bearing cup includes an outer restricting flange for preventing the bearing from moving into the housing as a result of axial forces acting on the bearing cup.